Switch-operating device.



T. H. LORD.

SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION TILED JAN. 2a. 1909.

91 6,738. Patented Mar. 30, 1909'. 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

T. H. LORD.

SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE. APPLICATION TILED JAN. 2a, 1909.'

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

2 BHEETS-SHEIJT 2.

animator, jZWzwfiZa/"d z 7 I alkwncqo THOMAS H. LORD, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Tnorms H. LORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Switch-Operating Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway switches of that type designed to be operated by mechanism on a car approaching the switch.

The object of the invention is to provide depressible members adjacent opposite portions of the track at a point removed from the switch, said members being attached to the tongue so as to shift it and thus either open or close the siding, there being separately operated actuating shoes carried by the car for bearing upon these depressible members.

Another object is to provide separately movable actuating shoes designed to be operated by a single lever upon the car, said lever when swung in one direction actuating mechanism for shifting one of the shoes into operative position and, when swung in the opposite direction, serving to shift the other shoe.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention is shown.

In said drawings :-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus embodying the present improvements, the positions of the parts, when one of the shoes is depressed, being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switch and ,the mechanism connected to it. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line AB Fig. 1, the car mechanism being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the pivot portion of the lever and the guide therefor.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference A designates the rails of the main line, B the rails of the siding and C the pivoted switch tongue which is of the usual or any preferred construction. A cross-bar 1 is connected to the switch tongue and extends under both of the rails A, the ends of the bar pivotally engaging cranks 2. Each crank constitutes part of a rod 3 extending longitudinally beneath one of the rails A, the ends of the rod being journaled within Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 28, 1909.

Patented March 30, 1909.

Serial No. 474,764.

hangers t and each rod being provided at that end thereof farthest removed from crank 2 with a crank 5 preferably located perpendicularly to the plane occupied by the crank 2. These rods 3 are preferably arranged within trenches 6 extending below the rails A, there being slots 7 in the tops of the trenches at those ends thereof farthest removed from the switch. Projecting into these slots are inclined contact arms 8 arranged outside of but close to the rails A and mounted upon the upper ends of stems 9 which are pivotally mounted on the cranks 5. The contact arms 8 are inclined up wardly and toward the switch so as to permit the actuating device hereinafter described to ride upwardly upon said arm without shifting it too violently. The various parts herein described are so arranged that when the tongue 0 is in one of its positions one of the contact arms 8 is elevated while the other arm 8 is in its lowest position. In other words, the two contact arms move downwardly alternately, the depression of one causing the switch tongue to shift in one direction while this movement of the switch tongue can be reversed by depressing the other arm. A guide flange 10 is arranged along the outer wall of each slot 7, and the free end of this flange is preferably flared laterally so as to guide the actuating means into contact with the contact arms.

The mechanism utilized for operating the contact arms is designed to be carried by a car D and consists of side hangers 11, each of which is braced by an inwardly extending web 12. A shaft 13 is journaled in the upper portion of one of these hangers and is provided at its ends with inner and outer crank arms lat and 15 respectively, there being a coiled spring connecting the crank arm 1 with the car structure as indicated at 16. An actuating shoe 17 is pivotally connected to the lower portion of the hanger 11 011 which shaft 13 is mounted and one end of this shoe is connected to the crank arm 15 by means of a link 18. The other end of the shoe is preferably formed with an upturned end 19 designed, when said shoe is actuated in one direction, to move against the contact arm 8 in the path thereof and force it downwardly to shift the switch.

A guide standard 20, preferably formed of spaced segmental plates as indicated in F 4, is mounted on the car structure, and fulcrumed within this standard is a secondary lever 21 the lower end of which is connected to crank 14 by means of a link 22. The upper portion of this lever is provided with a laterally extending lug or projection 23 disposed in the path of a main lever 2% fulcrunied within the standard 20. The lower end of this lever is connected by the link 25 to a crank arm 26 formed at the inner end of a shaft 27 journaled in the upper portion of the other hanger 11. A crank arm 28 is formed at the outer end of shaft 27 and is connected by a link 29 with a shoe 30 fulcrumed upon the lower portion of the hanger 11, said shoe being similar to the shoe 1'? hereinbefore described. A coiled spring 31 is secured to the web 12 of the hanger in which shaft 27 is journaled and said spring is attached to the lower portion of the main lever 24. It will be apparent therefore that the two springs cooperate to hold the main lever normally pressed against the stop lug 23 of the secondary lever 21.

If the switch tongue C is in the position shown in Fig. 2 and it should be desired to direct the car along the main track and not on to the siding, the operator on the car approaching the switch draws the main lever 2 1 toward him. Said lever will thus be moved away from contact with the lug or projection 28 and the lower end of said lever will pull on the crank 26 through the link 25 and thus cause the shaft 27 to be partly rotated. The outer crank 28 will therefore be elevated and will pull on one end of the shoe 30 through link 29. The other end of the shoe will be pushed downward so as to lap the outer face of the adjoining rail A, and when the car arrives at a predetermined position upon the track this depressed shoe will move against the inclined contact arm 8 and force it downwardly. The rod 3 will thus be partly rotated and the crank 2 at the switch end thereof will pull the tongue C laterally so as to close the siding. This operation will of course elevate the other contact arm 8. While said shoe 30 is being forced clownwardly the other shoe 17 remains practically stationary, because its actuating lever 21 is not operated. Should another car be ap proaching the switch and should it be desired to direct it on to the siding, the operator pushes forward on the main lever 24 so as to force it against the stud or projection 23. Movement will thus be transmitted to the secondary lever 21, and this in turn will transmit motion to the shaft 13 through link 22 and the crank arm 1 1. The crank arm 15 will therefore actuate the shoe 17 through the link 18 and said shoe will therefore be brought into position to contact with and depress the other arm 8 so as to shift the tongue 0 laterally and open the siding. During this movement of the shoe 1'? the other shoe 30 will be slightly elevated be cause the crank arm 28 and link 29 are normally arranged at such an angle to each other that when the-crank arm 28 is drawn downwardly the only movement imparted to the upturned end 19 of the shoe is in an upward direction to a slight extent. The springs 16 and 81 of course serve to automatically return the various parts to their initial positions subsequent to the actuation. of the switch.

It of course to be understood that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. In order to pr-vent secondary lever 21 from swinging in one direction a stop projection is foaned within the standard and projects into the path of said lever, said projection however being of such size as to permit the main lever 24: to pass it.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a switch tongue and alternately depressible means connected thereto and movable therewith, of car supported actuating mechanism comprising normally inactive shoes, an actuating member, mechanism operated by the movement of said member in one direction for shifting one of said shoes, and mechanism operated by the movement of said means'in the opposite direction and for shifting the other shoe.

The combination with a switch tongue and alternately depressible means con nected thereto and movable therewith, of a main operating member movably supported, a shoe shiftable thereby into position to depress one of said depressible members when the main operating member is shifted in one direction, a secondary operating member actuated by the movement of the main operating member in the opposite direction, and a shoe shiftable into active position by the secondary member to depress the other depr ssible member.

3. The combination with a switch tongue, spaced depressible members, and means actuated by said members for shifting the tongue in opposite directions, of operating mechanism comprising spaced shoes movable over said depressible members, a lever, means operated by the lever when moved in one direction to shift one of the shoes into active position, and means operated by the lever when moved in the opposite direction for shifting the other shoe into active position, each shoe remaining inactive during the movement of the other shoe.

1. In mechanism of the class described car supported switch operating means comprising movably supported shoes, an actuating lever, separate means for transmitting movement from the lever to the respective shoes when the lever is moved in opposite direc tions respectively, each shoe remaining inactive during the actuation of the other shoe.

5. In mechanism of the class described car supported switch operating means comprising spaced shoes movably supported, an operating device, separate means actuated by said device during movement thereof in opposite directions respectively for actuating the respective shoes, each of said shoes remaining inactive during the actuation of the other shoe.

6. In mechanism of the class described car supported actuating means comprising rockshafts, a shoe movably connected to each of said shafts, a main actuating member shiftable in one direction to actuate one of the shafts and its shoe, and a secondary actuating means connected to the other shaft and positioned to receive motion from the main actuating means when moved in the opposite direction.

7. In mechanism of the class described car supported actuating means comprising separately movable shoes, and a single actuating device movable in opposite directions to actuate the respective shoes, each shoe remaining inactive during the operation of the other shoe.

8. In mechanism of the class described car supported actuating means comprising a standard, a main lever journaled therein, a secondary lever journaled therein and disposed in the path of the main lever, shoe movably mounted upon the car structure, mechanism actuated by the main lever for actuating one of the shoes, and mechanism actuated by the secondary lever for moving the other shoe.

9. In mechanism of the class described a car supported switch actuating means comprising hangers, shoes movably mounted thereon, a main actuating lever, mechanism actuated by the movement of the lever in one direction for shifting one of the shoes, and mechanism actuated by the movement of the lever in the opposite direction for shifting the other shoe, each shoe remaining inactive during the actuation of the other shoe.

10. In mechanism of the class described car supported switch actuating means comprising movably supported shoes, crank shafts connected to and disposed to actuate the respective shoes, a main actuating lever connected to one of said shafts, a secondary lever connected to the other shaft, said main lever being shiftable in one direction to actuate its shoe, and shiftable in the opposite direction to actuate the secondary lever and the shoe connected thereto.

11. In mechanism of the class described car supported switch actuating means comprising novably supported shoes, crank shafts connected to and disposed to actuate the respective shoes, a main actuating lever connected to one of said shafts, a secondary lever connected to the other shaft, said main lever being shiftable in one direction to actuate its shoe and shiftable in the opposite direction to actuate the secondary lever and the shoe connected thereto, means for automatically returning the levers to their initial positions, and means for limiting the movement of the secondary lever in one direction.

12. The combination with the rails of a main line and the rails of a siding, of a switch tongue, a cross-bar connected to said tongue and movable therewith, rods journaled below the rails of the main line and having terminal cranks, said cross-rod being connected at its ends to the cranks at one end of the rods, depressible contact arms connected to the other cranks of the rods, guide flanges adjacent said arms, and alternately operated car supported means for engaging and depressing said arms.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS H. LORD.

Witnesses O. B. 'WIsE, WV. P. TCHENK. 

